In a historic first, the board members representing the Oklahoma State Board of Health, City-County Health Department of Oklahoma County, and Tulsa City-County Health Department will meet Thursday, February 15, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 806 of the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City.

“This will be the first time the members of these three entities have joined together in a cooperative planning venture,” said Jerry Regier, Acting Director of the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Regier said the State Board of Health initiated the meeting as part of the agency's outreach to include local communities in public health decisions made at the state level.

Unlike county health departments in 66 other counties, Oklahoma and Tulsa counties operate city-county health departments autonomously from the Oklahoma State Department of Health's local health network.

Among the agenda items the board members will discuss is local control for city-county health departments in nursing home inspections and environmental health.

“We are encouraged with the response we've received from the administration and board members of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa city-county health departments and hope this is the first of many joint meetings among our three organizations,” Regier said. “We share many common interests that will benefit the health of all Oklahomans.”